School Clinic

GFS Clinic Team & TruDoc Telehealth Service

At GFS, we are proud to have a dedicated Clinic Team made up of trained medical professionals, including 1 doctor and 9 nurses, all with expertise in general pediatrics. Our clinic team is committed to ensuring the health and well-being of all students during school hours, providing quality care and support when needed.

In addition to our in-house medical team, we have introduced the TruDoc telehealth service, in line with the new standards set by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). This service allows students to access exceptional healthcare remotely, provided by fully qualified doctors. TruDoc has been offering quality healthcare since 2011 and is fully endorsed by DHA. With this new service, one school doctor will remain on campus, and the clinic staff will continue to provide direct care while also utilizing TruDoc's remote healthcare capabilities to ensure comprehensive support for all students.

For any questions or concerns regarding your child’s health, please contact the main clinic at 04-519 5222 ext. 332 or the P3 clinic at ext. 331. You can also reach us via email at [email protected].

In case of an emergency and you cannot reach us, please leave a message with reception, and we will respond within 48 hours.

For more information, please refer to the School Clinic section on GEMS Connect (School Info -> Resources -> School Clinic).

All parents and guardians are required to complete and sign the online Health Forms (medical declaration and permission) for their child(ren) on GEMS Connect. Information regarding this was included in the welcome letter from the clinic at the start of the AY2024-2025 academic year.

Important health information

• Chronic Conditions and Allergies:
  If your child has a chronic condition or an allergy and has not yet informed the clinic or included this information on the health form, please update the health section on GEMS Connect urgently. The clinic will require a detailed medical report from the treating physician and a personalised action plan to be followed during the school day and in case of any emergency.
• Medication for Chronic Conditions:
  If your child requires medication for a chronic condition during school hours, arrangements must be made through the clinic. Medicines are not allowed to be carried in students' bags. The clinic will need a valid prescription and the medicine in its original, unopened container to prevent any adverse reactions.

Sickness at home

If your child is unwell and unable to attend school, they should remain at home until fully recovered or cleared by their treating doctor. This helps prevent the spread of communicable diseases. To ensure the health and safety of all students, please follow the procedure below:

• Email the class teacher/form tutor and copy the clinic and academic team, explaining your child's illness/reason for absence. The clinic team will advise if a letter of recovery is needed.
• For diagnosed communicable diseases, the child will not be allowed back in school without a medical clearance from their treating doctor.

Being symptoms-free:

Students must be symptom-free to return to school.

COVID-19

If your child shows symptoms related to COVID-19, please consult your healthcare provider and follow the latest DHA guidelines.

Sickness at School 

If a student becomes unwell during school hours:

• They should inform their class teacher, form tutor, or specialist teacher, who will send them to the clinic for assessment and care.
• First aid will be provided based on the signed health form.
• Parents will be informed if there is an emergency.
• The decision to send a student back to class or request early collection will be made by the school doctor.

Clinic flow and protocol

• Parent pickup: Parents must pick up their child within 30 minutes of being contacted by the clinic.
• Direct contact prohibited: Students are not allowed to contact their parents directly to arrange collection if they feel unwell.
• Early exit management: Early exits due to illness or injury will be managed by the clinic.
• Contagious conditions: Students with suspected contagious conditions (e.g., COVID-19, bacterial throat infections, pink eye, head lice, etc.) will be sent home and must be picked up within 30 minutes. They will not be allowed to use the school bus.
• Symptom management: Students displaying suspicious symptoms, such as a fever, must be evaluated by an external healthcare facility and receive the necessary treatment before returning to school. A medical report from the treating doctor is required for re-entry.
• Class screening: For certain contagious conditions (e.g., head lice), the entire class may need to be screened to prevent cross-infection, with parental consent.
• Physical Education: Physical Education is a vital part of our curriculum, and students are expected to participate unless there is a valid medical reason. In such cases, a doctor’s note is required. If a child is not well enough for PE, they should remain at home.